(J.R. Miller, “Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ” 1890)
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“And when Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.” Luke 1:12
Yet the angel had come on an ‘errand of love’. He had come to announce to Zacharias tidings that would fill his heart with great joy.
It is often so. All through the Bible, we find that people were afraid of God’s angels. Their very glory startled and terrified those to whom they appeared. It is ofttimes the same with us. When God’s messengers come to us on errands of grace and peace–we are terrified, as if they were the messengers of wrath!
Angels do not appear to us these days in their heavenly garb. Yet they come no less real and no less frequently than in the Bible days, but they wear other and various forms. Sometimes they appear in robes of gladness and light–but ofttimes they come in dark garments. Yet our faith in our Father’s love should make us confident that every messenger that He sends to us, whatever the garb–brings something good to us.
Trials and adversities—
are really God’s messengers-angels. If we will quiet our hearts and wait, we shall find that they have brought blessings to us from God. They have come to tell us of some new joy that is to be granted–some spiritual joy, perhaps, to be born of earthly sorrow; some strange and sweet surprise of love which is waiting for us.
We need to learn to trust God so perfectly, that no ‘messenger’ He ever sends shall alarm us!
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word!” Psalm 119:67
“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.” Psalm 119:71
“I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness, YOU have afflicted me!” Psalm 119:75
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